Lamp



Jan. 1, 1929. I 1,697,056 H. B. DONLEY LAMP Filed Dec. 27, 1926 Patented den, l,

HAROLD LB. DON'LEY, OF CQLUMBUS, OHIO,

ASSIG-NOR 'lO THE JOHN W. BROWN MFG.

00., 0F COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

LAMP.

Application filed December 2?, 1926. Serial No. 157,123.

This invention relates generally to improvements in lamps, and is especially directed to lamps of the type carried by motor vehicles and the like comprising broadlya casing having a reflector mounted therein together with an electrically energized incandescent lamp arranged axially within the refleetor and adjustable with respect thereto to direct control light beams to the light aperture of the lamp, The present invention has for its principal object the provision of a lamp of this character wherein novel and improved means are provided, accessible from the exterior of the lamp, for adjusting and controlling the operating positions of the indicating lamp with respect to the reflector.

111 the majority of motor vehicle head lamps the lamp receiving socket or fitting is constructed to admit of longitudinal or axial adjustment of the associated incandescent lamp in a direction parallel with the principal axis of the reflector with which the lamp is associated, whereby the lamp filament, comprising the light source, may be adjusted relative to the focal point of the reflector with the end in view of regulating light propagation from the lamp as a whole. It has been found, however, that due to irregularities at times in the manufacture of the lamp bulb or of the reflector, it has been found that the single adjustment of the bulb in a longitudinal and axial direction is notcompletely effectual in providing for the proper positioning of the light source. This is particularly true when the lamp bulb is of the so called double filament type. Bulbs of the double filament type include spaced filaments, which may be selectively energized and because of the positions which they necessarily occupy in the lamp bulb very considerable dilliculty has been encountered in positioning the same in proper relationship to the focal point of the reflector.

The present invention, therefore, provides in a lamp of this character novel and improved adjusting means by means of which the support or fitting of" the lamp bulb may not only be moved longitudinally or axially with respect to the reflector but may also be adjusted in a plane substantially perpendicular to the aforesaid plane of longitudinal adjustment, with the end in view of on abling the filament of the lamp bulb, whether of the single or double type, to be moved to assume the most advantageous operating position in the reflector and to compensate for irregularities or imperfections in the manufacture of the parts comprising the lamp.

A further object of the invention rests in providing for the adjustment of the lamp bulb and its support from positions exterior of the lamp casing, to enable the adjustment to be carried on quickly and without accuracy, there being means provided for insuring the retention of the lamp part in adjusted position following the operation of the adjusting means.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists, in the novel features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts hereinafter to'be fully described and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through a motor vehicle head lamp and illustrating the lamp adjusting means comprising the present invention,

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view disclosing the two adjusting screws employed by the invention,

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 of FigureQ,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a; lamp socket retaining sleeve utilized by the invention,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view disclosing the opening in the reflector,

Figure 6 is a slightly modified form of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the draw ing the numeral 1 designates the casing of a vehicle head lamp, which in this instance is of substantially conoidal form and is provided with the usual open front in which is received a standard. form of reflector 2; The perimeterof the reflector is provided with a flange 3 which seats upon. the outer edge of the casing 1, and the open front part of the reflector is closed by the customary lens 4, which, in connection with the reflector, is held in locked engagement with the lamp easing by the. usual retaining ring Axiah ly the reflector is provided with an opening 6,. formed at one side with a recess 7, and arranged to adjustably occupy this opening is a sleeve member 8,. which is adapted to trie into the recess 7.

Connected with the socket or bulb fitting 9 is a longitudinally extending bar 14:, which is arranged within the casing 1 to the rear of the reflector 2 and extends in a horizontal and longitudinal direction. The rear end of the bar 1 terminates in spaced vertically extendin ears 15, which are pivotally secured as at 16 to a nut 17, whereby the bar 14: may be adjusted bodily in a longitudinal direction with the nut but in addition may swing about the horizontal axis, provided by the pivot 16, in a limited vertical plane. The nut 17 in this instance is formed from sheet metal and is provided with threaded openings for the reception of an axially disposed adjusting screw 18, arranged to occupy the principal axis of the lamp. The headed end 19 of this screw is situated in a depression 20 provided in the rear axial portion of the casing 1, where the screw is accessible from the exterior of the lamp. A coil spring 21 is situated between the inner wall of the casing and the nut 17, and exercises suflicient pressure on the latter to prevent ordinary rotation on the part of the screw and to thereby maintain the various adjustments of the nut, the spring also serving to prevent rattling between associated and relatively movable parts. It will be seen that by rotating the screw 18, the nut 17 will be caused to traverse the threaded shank of the screw longitudinally, and since the bar 14 is directly connected with the nut it follows that corresponding longitudinal movement will be imparted to the socket or fitting 9 and to its associated bulb 10 thereby enabling the filament structure of the bulb to be moved relatively to the focal point of the reflector.

In addition to this adjustment the present invention, as previously stated, contemplates adjusting the bulb in a direction perpendicular thereto or, stated in other words, in a vertical plane. This is accomplished by the provision of a yoke 22, extending substan tially perpendicular to the screw 18 and hav ing its upper end portion united with said screw by means of the suitable connections 16. The lower end of the yoke is provided with a threaded opening for the reception of a threaded shank of a second screw 28, which has its headed end 24: situated to occupy a second depression 25 provided in the wall of the casing preferably at the upper bide of the latter. A spring 26, corresponding to the spring 21, is situated between the lower end of the yoke 22 and the inner wall of the easing and serves to maintain the adjustment of the screw 23 and its associated parts, and also to eliminate rattle and unnecessary vibration Obviously, by adjusting the screw 23 the yoke 22 will be moved upwardly and downwardly, thereby rocking the screw 18 in a vertical plane and causing corresponding movement to be imparted to the nut 17 and the associated bar 14. Therefore, due to the connection between the forward end of the bar 14 and the socket or fitting 9, an oscillating motion in a vertical plane is imparted to the socket 9 and its associated sleeve 8. This portion of course is of limitless character but is entirely adequate to vary appreciably the position of the lamp bulb with respect to its reflector, enabling the filament 27 of said bulb to be adjusted in a perpendicular plane so that the filament may be properly and advantageously located to control light propagation from the lamp. In lamp bulbs embodying the double filament it is quite desirable that the major or strong light filament should occupy exactly the principal axis of the reflector so as to produce a long light beam arranged to project straight forwardly from the lamp, and that the weak or minor filament should be located to one side of said principal axis to produce a downwardly directed close range light beam. By the provision of the present invention these positions of the filaments may be readily procured regardlessly of the variations or inaccuracies which may exist in the construction of the bulb for the reflector part.

The present invention provides for this compound adjustment and the lamp bulb by simple and practical means, which may be actuated from the exterior of the lamp and does not add appreciably in any way to the competition of the latter. The heads of the adjusting screws are so located as to be practically concealed from an ordinary point of view and, moreover, will not interfere with the dusting or cleaning of the lamp casing.

In the modified. form of the invention dis closed in Figure 6, the nut 17 is formed integrally with the bar 14%, so that upon the adjustment of the screw 28, the bulb 10 and the fitting 9 will rock with the screw 18 and move vertically within the opening 6 of the reflector which is in this instance of an elongated form, thereby enabling the filament structure oi the bulb to be adjusted in a vertical plane.

What is claimed is:

1. In a lamp, a casing, a reflector mounted within said casing and provided with an axial opening, said opening being formed to one side with a recess, a tongue. struck from said reflector and located within said recess, a bulb support movably mounted Within sai d opening and adapted to carry an incandescent bulb Within said reflector, said support comprising a sleeve having a channeled portion received Within said recess and held in place therein by said tongue entering an opening formed in the channeled portion of said sleeve, and adjusting means carried by the lamp casing for moving the lamp bulb longitudinally or" said sleeve and'to rock the latter Within the axial opening formed in said reflector.

2. In a lamp, a casing, a reflector mounted Within said casing and provided With an axial opening, said opening being formed to one side with a recess, a bulb support movably mounted W1tl11n sald opening and adapted to carry a socket for an incandescent bulb, said support comprising a split sleeve adapted to frictionally grip the socket of the bulb and formed to include a channeled portion arranged to be received Within said recess, and held in place therein by said tongue, and means carried by said lamp casing for holding the bulb and its support in an aoljusted position With respect to said reflector. 25

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HAROLD VB. DONLEY. 

